Lost in the Depths of Frozen Water
by ivyheart21
Summary: Juvia loved Gray, since the day she met him. His sister disappears and he does nothing but mourn, a few moths pass, Juvia grows tired of it and leaves. 6 years later Juvia in her 20s gets offered a job at Fairy Tail Academy and runs into Gray whom she has blocked from her memory. Will her memory return & allow them to rekindle their love for each other? K to M. Lime
1. Intro

Nobody knew where Zandrina went when she disappeared one fateful day. Gray has been heartbroken ever since. The little eight year old had been like a sister to the ice wizard.

His secret crush, Juvia, had looked the hardest of them all. She knew how much he loved Zandrina as a little sister. Juvia was honestly over the entire 'romantic rival' thing, though she still loved Gray with all of her heart.

The Water Maiden had taken over Aquarius's job because she kept disappearing from her owner and in one case she didn't come back for a whole year!

Nothing was worse than disappearing and leaving her owner to die in a battle. Lucy Heartfilia was a strong woman, but no one could physically or mentally make Aquarius do anything.

Besides that Juvia was now stronger than the original Zodiac woman. She had faith in more people, even though she had been ridiculed so much in her years past. When she was near Gray the rain ceased and there were nothing but clear skies for miles.

Juvia would come close to Gray, and was even able to wrap her arms around him in a comforting way, but Gray only smiled a small smile and continued to grieve. Ever since he had lost his family to the evil Deliora he had longed for family, for comfort, and never got it.

Even Natsu, as stupid as Gray thought he was, helped look for Zandrina. Juvia finally became sick of his moping, she had fallen in love with his fighting, strong and sexy side. She understood the need to grieve, for she had done it for years, but that was over her life not a single person who was most likely okay, so she left.


	2. Chapter 1

Juvia was now twenty two, and Gray was twenty four. Juvia's job as the new Water Maiden took over most of her life and she missed all of her Fairy Tail friends.

On quiet weekends she would sit and write. She had picked up the habit from Lucy and it turns out that she was quite good at it. So Far she had written a total of six stories and even a few poems. She, like Lucy, was shy about her writing and only showed them to her close friend Aleigh.

She still loved the black haired wizard from her fading past but found it hard to completely lose herself in her idea of love for him. Life was good for her and she didn't want to mess that up.

Juvia stood from her couch, where she was quietly writing, to get the mail. In the mail was only three letters. One from an address she didn't know, the other from Lucy, and the last from yet another address she thought looked familiar.

"One, twenty eight, third drive, Calsburough PA. Hmmm where in the world could that be?" Juvia was looking at the first unfamiliar address. Juvia had grown out of the habit of referring to herself in the third person, declaring it as unnecessary and annoying when she turned eighteen only two years after she left. She turned to the second letter, the one that seemed somehow eerily familiar. "Six, twenty six, Fairly Talien drive, Westbridge Montana. That sounds so familiar, where have I heard it? Magnolia City is near there, but no, it couldn't be-!" Juvia cut herself off and tore open the letter furiously.

She flung her long curly hair out of the way, she changed her hair to the way it was when Vidaldus was controlling her, she thought it looked better that way.

Inside was a small flyer and a pamphlet. *Fairy Tail Academy*, it read. Juvia let out a whoop of pure joy. She was going to Fairy Tail Academy to study more magic! Juvia opened the pamphlet, and froze. This wasn't for her to attend school there, it was for her to teach there! This was even better!

"I'm going to be teaching at FAIRY TAIL ACADEMY!" She screamed at the top of her lungs in a girlish way. The other two letters were forgotten. Juvia dialed her phone. It rang six times before someone answered. Juvia was on the edge of her seat with anxiety. "Lucy! Lucy! Lucy guess what!" Juvia screeched when Lucy said hello.

"Juvia it's six a.m. here! There is a two hour time difference in sunny California!" Lucy yawned.

"Sorry Lucy! I'm so sorry! But I just couldn't wait to tell you! I was asked to teach at Fairy Tail Academy!" Lucy was fully awake now, and shaking a sleepy Natsu awake. They lived together now.

"WHAT?! OH MY GOD THATS AWESOME! Juvia you must be so happy! Natsu wake up! Juvia got the job!" Natsu opened his eyes drowsily.

"Huh? What job?" his words were slurred from his sleepy state.

"She got offered a job at Fairy Tail Academy!" Lucy squealed. Natsu sat up quickly.

"That is AWESOME! It is almost as cool a place as Fairy Tail the guild!" Juvia smiled. She didn't remember the guild very well but bits and pieces would flash into her mind. Mostly ones where Juvia was screaming 'romantic rival' at every girl who even glanced at the mysterious man whose name she could no longer remember.

"Juvia, Juvia! Earth to you! As I was saying, Natsu and I have to get up to work at ten so we really have to go. Have fun with the preparations to move to Montana!" Juvia smiled happily.

"Thanks! Natsu you be nice to Lulu and Happy, okay? Bye!" she chirped. "Aye!" Natsu smiled. "Aye!" Happy mimicked. Lucy smiled, laughing to herself, and said goodbye to her old friend.

"I still don't understand why she doesn't remember Gray, or why we can't tell her about him." Natsu moaned.

"She blocked out the terrible few months of when Gray mourned and thus forgot his name, and what he meant to her. We cannot tell her because she wouldn't believe us, and then would think that we were liars. I don't want to lose more people in my life." Lucy shook her head sadly.

Natsu kissed her cheek. "I love you." he whispered in her ear. Lucy sighed. She loved hearing him say that. After years of crushing on each other Natsu finally kissed her after she unlocked the Zodiac key, Gemini, in a battle. Lucy rested her forehead against his, sighed contentedly and whispered, "I love you too." while running her hands through his pink hair. He laid her down and wrapped his arms around her. Kissing her on the lips he smiled. When he pulled away at last he whispered "I love you" one last time and told her to rest. She turned away from him and he pulled her closer, burrowing his head in her neck and kissing it softly.


	3. Chapter 2

Juvia wanted to see the Academy in person so she packed her things and left. She arranged for her friend Miana to watch her house while she drove up to Montana.

"Come on Misty. Time to go! Icepaw you too!" She called to the little blue and white kittens. "We are going to be late come on!" Two small kittens walked out into the parlor, followed Juvia down the hall, and soon they were all in her blue and silver Mustang.

One day and five hours later she was in Montana. It was too late for her to go to the academy but she still wanted to be there, so she rented a hotel room.

Juvia heard the sound of kicks and punches hitting a heavy punching bag upon entering her room. She admired whoever was working so diligently to stay fit, but was kind of irked because it was so late. She was going to go over to ask them to politely stop, but by the time she had slipped her shoes on the punches stopped and the shower started. Juvia yawned.

"Mist, Ice, time for bed. Come on." Juvia decided that she needed to get a quick shower. When she started the water it was nice and warm, but there wasn't enough of it to even bathe a kitten. 'Thanks buddy...' Juvia blamed the person staying next door.

She used her Water Magic to get more of it by pulling on it. Suddenly the water turned icey. In retaliation she blocked the water from their side. She heard a fist hit the wall with brute strength. The person had to be male. Only males would be that rude to actually hit the wall. Juvia didn't give up. Instead she steamed the water using a miniature version of a scalding Water Beam.

"Ow! Ow! Owww!" she heard a man yelp. Juvia smirked.

"You are dealing with _the_ Water Maiden buster! Don't go around being _cold_."

"You're Aquarius? No way! Didn't you get fired?" he asked. Juvia shook her head at the misinformed man, though he couldn't see her.

"No, that was the old Water Maiden. I am the new one, her replacement and I am far more powerful, as I have beaten her in battle a surplus of times." She heard his breath catch.

"Ju-..." he started, but cut himself off. "Nevermind, couldn't be. Anyway I'll see you in the morning Water Madge." Juvia shrugged it off as a wannabe fanboy. "Yeah, see ya Mr. Fanboy." she heard a groan and laughed before heading to bed.

Early the next morning Juvia woke up to the sound of the kittens mewing. Juvia only saw one of her cats.

"Icepaw where are you?" The mewing was faint and she suddenly knew where it must be coming from. "Hey!" she cried out, flying out the door. Juvia pounded on the door to her neighbor's suite. The door flung open to reveal a tall man in his mid-twenties. His jet black hair was eerily familiar.

"Can I help you?" he asked. Deep blue eyes stared into her normal blue ones and sent chills up her spine. The world danced merrily in those eyes for just a moment until a barrier seemed to cross in between the to two of them.

"I was wondering if you have seen a white cat wandering around anywhere? He must have gotten out some how." Juvia smiled sweetly.

"Oh! Uh, yeah I actually have. He was scratching on my door. Must've gotten confused." Juvia's smile brightened.

"Great! Oh and by the way I am Juvia Lockser." The man nodded,

"Gray. Gray Fullbuster. Juvia it is great to see you again." Juvia gave him a confused look. Gray remembered what Lucy and Natsu told him, she blocked his name out of her mind. "What I meant by that is that it is nice to talk to you in person, not through the wall, though that was nice too." Gray knew he was rambling. "Ah, do you want to come in?" he hung his head.

"Sure, let me just go put Icepaw here away and then I'll be back." Juvia raced back to her apartment, put Icepaw safely in his bed, and threw on a pair of form fitting skinny jeans and a low cut blue tanktop instead of the sweats she had been wearing. When she was done obsessing over how she looked she calmly walked over to Gray's suite. "I'm back!" she called into the semi open door.

"Come on in!" he called from a back room. Juvia walked into his house and marveled at the authenticity of the paintings on his walls. "I'll be out in a minute!" he called again. He was whispering feverishly into a phone at Lucy.

Juvia remained oblivious to his conversation. "Yes she is here! I swear it! I don't know what to do! Get Levy, she should know!" He paused, listening. "Uh huh, yeah. No! What do you mean she heard you two talking and moved out?! You ash brain shut up I wasnt talking to you! I have to go, she will get suspicious. Bye NaLu" He hung up, sighing. When he walked out into the main room with the kitchen by the door he saw Juvia staring at a picture of the Fairy Tail gang before she got there. She was tapping on each person as if they reminded her of something than had long set sail on perilous waters. She traces the picture's silver frame. gray coughed lightly. Juvia slowly turned around as if not shocked at all.

"Who are you?" she asked, a spark flared in her memory, but she pushed it away.

"I, uh-" Gray wasn't sure how to explain.

"Fairy Tail's finest I suppose? You look hauntingly familiar, almost like a drea-" Juvia's eyes widened. "You're from the dreams! The memories! But how could I have been in love with you and not remember your name?"


	4. Chapter 3

Juvia was thoroughly confused, so she ran. Past the attendants desk, past the gardens in front of the hotel, past the busy streets and to her only safe haven, a small river that ran through the woods around the back of the old pub a few blocks away.

Panting heavily she crashed into the stream and melded into it using her Water Body. As she began to melt she heard the far away call of her name.

"Juvia! Juvia wait!" Gray called. Juvia was saddened to a point where the rain came back. Gray sat at the edge of the stream, with tears running down his face, and whispered "I loved you too, and I still do." no one would understand the pain he had gone through.

He kicked a stone and sent it flying into the woods on the other side of the stream.

"Lucy was right, this did end in a disaster!" he sobbed.

Juvia came out of the water with a feverish look on her face.

"Lucy knew?" she whispered quietly. Gray's head snapped up in surprise.

"Y-yes." he stuttered. Before Juvia had a chance to reply though, she felt the familiar pull of someone calling her through the Aquarius key. In a flurry of popping iridescent bubbles she was gone from Gray again.

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Juvia heard the faint calls of a young female voice.

"Aquarius!"

Juvia sighed. "Yes?" she asked sweetly.

"Cool!" she heard a bunch of kids murmur.

Juvia struggled not to roll her eyes.

"I want to make a contract with you!"

Juvia nodded, her eyes distant. "I can come on Saturdays and Sundays. Please do not summon me around early morning, I have another job that I do need sleep for." She watched the little girl write down every word she said.

When the little girl looked up her eyes widened. "Hey! You aren't Aquarius!"

Juvia wanted to hit herself in the head, instead she kneeled down and told the girl what happened to the old Aquarius, and how she got her job. "Ohhhh. That makes more sense. Welcome to Magnolia!" Her friends all cheered. Juvia held back a smile at being welcomed like a heroine. "Do you mind if I go over to the Fairy Tail Guild?" she asked. The little girl's eyes widened and she nodded. "Thank you, I think you should be allowed to go too." The little girl reminded Juvia so much of her when she was little.

Her violet blue hair shone vibrantly and her hazel eyes were wide with innocence. Juvia grasped her hand and smiled. "Come on, lets go ask your teacher." The little girl was in preschool. "What is your name sweetie?" Juvia inquired. The episode with Gray was forgotten yet again.

"Mirabell Suite." she proudly recited.

"That is such a pretty name!" Juvia placated the young girl. They walked up to the girl's teacher. "Excuse me, hello, I am Juvia, the new Aquarius, and Maribell here just signed a contract with me, and I was wondering if it would be alright to possibly visit Fairy Tail guild?" The tall slender woman turned around. Her brown hair was long and curly.

"Sure! That would be wonderful! Any particular reason why?" Juvia smiled. "Actually yes. My guild master Markov is there. I haven't been in Magnolia in so long that I think a surprise visit would be in order." The woman smiled.

"Alright, just make sure that Mirabell doesn't get ahold of any beverages, and get her back here by two." Juvia glanced at the clock, that gave them an hour.

"Thank you Miss Cherrilee." Mirabell chirped. The amusing pair walked all the way to the Fairy Tail guild happily.

When Juvia reached the door to Fairy Tail she found herself hesitating. What if they all hated her now? She traced the symbol of her beloved home on her jeans, just where it was when she got it, took a deep breath and opened the door.

All activity in the pub froze and glanced her way. She heard murmurs and whispers of frantic shock.

"Is that?"

"No! Couldn't be!"

"Are you sure?"

Finally Juvia stepped into the guild and held her free hand up, into the air. When everyone glanced up at her hand they saw that it was in the form of an "L" that had been created by Markov and Laxus. They all cheered and followed Juvia's example.

Juvia smiled. She was finally home.

Mirajane ran up to the bluenette, crying and laughing at the same time. She threw her arms around Juvia and joyfully said, "You're back!" Pulling away she saw the little girl. "Who is this?" she asked.

"My name is Mirabell." she chirped.

Mirajane looked at Juvia. "You had a little girl, and you named her after me?"

Juvia laughed. "No, sorry Mirajane. I didn't. This little girl wields the key of Aquarius, my key." Mirajane's vibrant blue eyes were wide.

"So you _are_ the new Aquarius! I told Markov that you were, but he wouldn't listen. He said that you would have sent word about the joyous news! Speaking of, why didn't you?"

Juvia looked ashamed. "I honestly do not know. And I have other news too!" She hoisted Mirabell up onto her hip. "I got a teaching job at Fairy Tail Academy!" Juvia was the happiest she had ever been.

A drunk Markov whooped from his place on the bar, and everyone followed suit.

"That is fantastic!" Mirajane cheered.

"No it's manly!" Elfman hollered above the noise.

Juvia laughed. "It has been lovely seeing you all again, but I have to go now, and get Mirabell back to her Preschool. Bye everyone!" Markov held his hand up in the Fairy Tail symbol again and everyone, including Mirabell, joined in as the two bluenettes walked out the door. Juvia returned Mirabell to her classroom with fifteen minutes to got a photo together and soon Juvia found herself back in the stream where she was before she met Mirabell.


	5. Chapter 4

**Guys PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, Comment on what you like about the story! You can even comment about what you dislike about it too, as long as it isn't full fiery inferno for the story, I work HARD on this! I just need feed back for it. I want to say THANK YOU SO MUCH! To my three followers, Hell's Dragon King I, TidusGT, and mgaa. I love you three SO much! Thank you to mgaa for telling me that my format for the story was less than perfect, but being nice about it, and thank you to my VERY FIRST READER AND REVIEWER, Nerdy Teddy Bears! You guys have no idea how important you are to me! Without you four I would never be able to have such passion for what I do. Okay okay I'm sorry, I've kept you long enough, on with the story! -IvyHeart21 :D**

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Gray was gone. She somehow knew he would be. Juvia heaved a sigh and decided to head back to the hotel.

Once she got back she picked up her purse in search of her phone. She wanted to call Lucy, but with a glance at the clock she knew she couldn't call her. It was two thirty, in California it would be twelve thirty.

Juvia let out an exasperated sigh. Lucy and Natsu would not get off of work until four, their time.

She gave up fishing around her purse for her phone, but as she went to pull her hand away a piece of paper sliced at her finger.

"Huh?" She wondered. Juvia reached back into the depths of her purse once more and pulled out the two forgotten envelopes. Looking over the envelopes she vaguely remembered tucking them into her purse. She again was drawn towards opening the envelope from Pennsylvania.

"One, twenty eight, third drive, Calsburough PA… I still don't know the connection there." Juvia wore a mask of confusion upon her face. Slowly, with heady caution she opened the letter. Juvia pulled out a letter that was almost two and a half pages long and a picture. Juvia left the picture inside of the envelope and read the letter to herself.

_Dear Juvia,_

_I am sorry for all the things of the past.I know that you will not recognise this address but I need to tell you how I feel. First off, I am someone who has admired you for a very long time. I __lo __like you a lot and I have heard that you once felt the same. I have no idea when you will get this letter and I just wanted to tell you how I felt. When I read back over this I know that I will see I am repeating myself, but if I try to fix it to sound less… idiotic I will lose my nerve and chicken out. So sorry for the messy letter but I honestly cannot try and redo it without losing my nerve. Juvia, I don't know if you realize who this is from, and I honestly don't care. I live in Pennsylvania now. I moved away from Magnolia soon after you did. Zandrinais still missing. I miss her dearly, but I am tired of hiding in wait of my next hope-crushing option. You searched for the little Sky Dragon Slayer like she was your own kin. For that I am forever grateful. Without your fierce determination I don't think anyone, aside from a few, would have helped look for her. I do not know where she is now put I hope she is safe. I did not write this letter to dwell on her though. I hope I will get a swift reply from you Juvia. I miss you a lot. _

_Love always,_

_Gray_

Juvia felt her head swirl with confusion. He had tried to contact her before she left? What was going on? Why did she feel bogged down all of a sudden? A memory flashed into her mind.

"_Juvia want's to talk to you Gray-Sama. Please look at Juvia Gray-Sama. When will your grieving end? Maybe taking a mission will help? Gray-Sama?" _

_The black haired man shook his head sadly. "She is gone Juvia. Zandrina is _gone_. What will I do? I don't want to take on a mission. I don't deserve to if I can't even protect someone I consider a little sister. Juvia please, I just want to find her." Juvia's face was grim. _

"_Juvia will find Gray-Sama's precious sister! Juvia will give her life for Zandrina because Gray-Sama wills it so!" With that Juvia turned and headed into the blaring and icey cold stormy bizzard. _

_Her power over water was not well in the freezing temperatures. The whole town of Fiore had been blanketed in snow. "Zandrina-Chang? Hello?" Juvia sighed in despair. _

Juvia came back to the present with a rush to her senses and her head pounding painfully. "Ow.." She sat down heavily on her bed and decided to think about it in the morning.

? ﾟﾙﾉ?

_With a yawn Juvia awoke. The first thing she registered was that it was cold, too cold. Juvia knew she closed the window last night, for fear of the cats getting out, but she wasn't sure anymore. Too many things had happened yesterday for her to try and sort them all out. "Wha-?" The rest of Juvia's sentence was cut off by a rag at her mouth. 'What the hell?!' she thought immediately. Before she faded entirely away she heard an eerie voice whisper in her ear, "Come little Fantasia Queen, you must be given a king, and I have the perfect king."Juvia was then drug through the now open window. _

Juvia awoke with a start. "What the hell!" She cried out.

Looking around she realized that she was safe in her bed in the hotel room. "Thank Magic I am fine!"

With an involuntary shudder she got up to make her coffee. On her way over to the table, after she had gotten her coffee, Juvia slipped on something white and crashed to the floor, coffee spilling all over her and the rug beneath her.

"Damn it!" She hollered. The bluenette tried to get up but a piercing pain surged through her body and she went crashing back to the floor again.

Juvia heard the sound of heavy footsteps in the hallway and the faint calling of her name. "Juvia? Juvia are you okay?" It was Gray. Juvia let out a sigh and decided to tell the truth. "No, I fell and I think I broke something."

Gray hesitated outside the door. "May I come in to see if I can help?" Juvia bit her lip and hollered through the door, "Yeah I guess." The door swiftly opened as soon as 'Yeah' came out of Juvia's mouth.

Gray paused to survey the damage. "I slipped on something white. I don't know what it was. Oh and I spilled coffee everywhere, both on me and the floor." She let out an exasperated sigh.

"You must have slipped on that envelope." He reached across her and picked it up. "Gray-" she was cut off by his deep voice. "This is my letter, to _you_. I can't believe you actually got it! When did you open it? When did you _get_it?" "I opened it last night, and I got the envelope a few days or so ago. Can you help me up Gray, please?"

Gray nodded and immediately set the envelope on the table and wrapped his strong arms around her. "Ready? On the count of three." He was whispering and it sent chills up Juvia's spine to hear him whisper to her, knowing how they _mutually_felt for each other.

"One…" Juvias heart thudded in slow motion. "Two…" She didn't want him to stop holding her. "Three…" Gray hoisted her up with genuine ease and she clung to his shoulder for support.

He grinned and helped her sit in one of the chairs. "Now, lets get you cleaned up. You tell me where things are at and I will go and get them." Juvia's face flushed. "In the dresser at the foot of the bed is shirts in the second drawer, bottoms in the third. My brush is in the bathroom to the left of my bed." He ran for the brush first.

"Thank you Gray." His face fell. "What's wrong Gray?" Juvia wondered.

"N-nothing! I was just thinking about when you used to call me Gray-Sama. I guess.." he rubbed the back of his spiky head. "I guess I just kind of miss it a little." He blushed heavily.

"Then why did you always tell me to stop calling you that?" Juvia blurted.

From somewhere deep in her memory she remembered the Naval Battle between her and Lucy. Lucy called upon Aquarius to take down Juvia, and Juvia performed Wings of Love as one of her moves. dedicating it to "Gray-Sama" and he yelled at her to "Stop it".

Gray's face turned a bright shade of pink. "Well.. I _liked_it, but I didn't want the guys to know _that!_"

Juvia shook her head in dismay. "Gray, about what you said in the letter-"

"I know I said some stupid things, but about liking you a lot, and what I said when we were at the stream, I meant it, all of it. Juvia I-" Juvia held up a hand to stop his rambling.

"Gray-Sama, I really like the fact that you are so bold to tell me such things, but I cannot have these thoughts running through my head tomorrow. I have to go and teach at Fairy Tail Academy. Surely you understand?"

He gulped his confession down while his face showed his arousal at being called 'Gray-Sama' again. "Yes, I understand perfectly. I will be teaching there too. I will be in the Demo Labs. Where will you be?"

The conversation took an easier approach now and Juvia felt that she could finally breathe. "Help me over to the bed, please." Gray carried her over to the bed and sat her down carefully before grabbing a chair and placing it backwards in front of the bed and sitting in it backwards. "Now, where will you be?" he asked politely. "I will be in the outside Demo Labs for the Water Magic, but in the fall and winter I am in the indoor swimming pool and I help the Ice-Make Mages with their substance ice." They sat there, smiling at one another, for they knew this was _not_the last time they would see each other.


	6. Chapter 5

**Hey! Im sorry this is a really short chapter.. OwO but I didn't really know what to do so I just decided to do a morning scene.. haha, well its got some... tension.. in it lol so it will be interesting.. ^D^ its totally Kawaii!**

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Chapter 5

The following morning proved to be a difficult one at that. When Juvia awoke from a deep slumber she was sore all over and bruised all down her right side where she fell. "Ow.."

Juvia rolled over to see Gray sleeping peacefully on the bed next to her. "Wha-? Gray-Sama?" Juvia blinked in confusion.

"Juvia-San?" He murmured. "Gray-Sama, I'm glad you are still here." Juvia leaned over and kissed his cheek before climbing gently over him to get ready for work.

"Ah, Juvia-San, please don't torture me with just one little kiss." He lay staring at the ceiling. Juvia suppressed a smile and grabbed an outfit from her dresser.

"Gray-Sama, I think it is better to 'torture you with one little kiss' because it leaves you wanting more. Gray-Sama, you often have made me feel this way." Juvia blushed. Gray turned his head to look at her. "Like when?" Juvia blushed deeper as a few memories flooded back.

"Gray-Sama and I's Unison Raid, the Fantasia Parade when we were on the same float together as King and Queen, that day when we were wearing the wedding dresses and the guys tuxes, you know, just moments like that." He blushed, remembering how close he and Juvia were when they performed their Unison Raid. "Gray-Sama, we have to get ready for work now."

Juvia turned away from him and took off her top, her bare back showing. "Ah.." Gray booked it to his apartment. He couldn't do what he wanted to because they had to go to work, so he had to get out of there before Juvia realized how "tall" he had suddenly gotten.


	7. Chapter 6

**Soooo sorry I haven't updated in eleven days! To me it feels waaay longer, but oh my gosh my summer is FINALLY here! I should be able to get more chapters out, but seriously guys, I love my seven followers! You guys know who you are! Beware, this one is looong (for your benifit of course). Oh and it contains swearing, so if you don't like that... uh... ignore it? XD but it is a necessity for a certain character. You will not know who the unsaid character is until the end of the chapter (****_NO PEEKING!). _****I felt that this chapter was an important one, it will help everyone with the climax of the story. Without this I do not think that I would have been able to go anywhere else with this. Alright alright! I'll shut up now and let you read the story lol. (You will see what I did there in about ten seconds) :D Enjoy the fanfic, and**_please please PLEASE__** review! ~Ivy Heart~**_

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She waited patiently for her brother by the bar's back door.

"Come on Michigan! Did you get Mariah? Moms waiting for us!"

"Alright! Alright! Mariah we have to go now!" Her brother called to his girlfriend. "Coming Michigan!" Her brother slipped out of the door and, his petite girlfriend followed.

"What about Mariah? You know she _can't _come! Mom _can't_ know that we come here to meet up with _friends_. She hates that! She will strike out at us!" Michigan exclaimed.

Mariah's eyes were wide. She wasn't used to her normally unscarable boyfriend being flustered.

His sister swallowed nervously and started to hyperventilate, clutching at her swollen waist. Mariah pushed aside her hand and pulled her shirt up a little to see a gigantic purple, blue and green bruise starting at her hip and spanning up to just under her chest. "

Oh my god! What- WHO did this?!" Mariah looked at her pain filled eyes. She reached back for her boyfriend's hand.

Instead, because he was standing so close, she came in contact with his rib and he let out a sharp yelp.

Mariah wasn't strong enough to cause pain. "Michigan!" She cried out helplessly. He knew what she was going to do and so he lifted his shirt up for her.

His rib was a blackened blue color in contrast with his perfectly tanned skin. He sucked in a breath of air painfully as she skimmed her finger over the skin.

"When did you break your rib? And when did you slam into metal?" The last part she directed to the younger girl.

"H-how did you know it was metal?" she winced.

"The coloring is already too dark and the skin is too puffy for it to have been more than a day ago. You don't get bruises that color in a day by accidentally hitting something." The siblings looked away. "Who hit you?"

"No one!" they both said as one.

"Mhmm." Mariah said skeptically. "I'll ask again. _Who _the _hellhit _you?"

Their eyes widened. Mariah _never_swore. She was too sweet and innocent, unless she was protesting against something like animal cruelty.

"Our m-mother!" the younger girl gasped and dropped her shirt, still clutching at her side. "S-she pushed him down a set of double steps, and me, she shoved into the metal door to the fridge that she keeps locked. I know how to pick the lock and she c-caught me. My side slammed into the door handle, and it broke, and she hit me for that too, she slammed the same side into the corner of the door." More wincing and ragged breaths.

"What? Thats abuse! Child abuse! I ought to go to the child services department! I should stop this, who knows what else she could-"

Michigan was grasping her wrists and forcing her to look at him. "Mariah, stop. Just stop."

"But Michigan! She is _hurting_you! I can't let her get away with that!"

"Mariah, if you tell anyone, anyone at all, including the CSD, we will be taken away. I know that may be best for us but I can't go. You are _here_. I can't leave that."

He pulled her close, and being a whole head taller, he rested his chin on her head, stroking her hair and breathing deeply to calm himself.

"I can't leave you here. When I'm near you I'm happy. That is all I need. Nothing more, nothing less. Mariah, I love you. I put up with the abuse because I could never stand to not see you again, and if the CSD found out about what our mother has done we will be taken away, to never see her again. It would mean leaving you here." His eyes welled with tears.

"You mean you do all of this for me?"

He nodded. "My sister and I had been talking about running away or telling someone about the abuse. We had our bags all packed and we were ready to go at any moment. We snuck out the night before to stow our stuff away somewhere safe that way we could go to school then leave, but you showed up as the new girl in school that day and my little sister saw how I adored you, and how I still do, and she decided, all on her own, that we were staying. I can't, no, _won't _leave you behind!"

Mariah looked up at him. "You sacrificed your freedom, for _me_? You love me that much?" He nodded. "Aww, Michigan!" She hugged him lightly, with tears springing to her eyes.

A horn sounded from the road. Both Michigan and his sister jumped.

"In two years I can leave. I won't, of course, until my sister is old enough to leave too, and my other siblings, Nicholi and Kitahren. Nicholi is seven. He is the best little kid I know. Kitahren is eight."

"I'm fourteen, and Michigan is sixteen, but you know _that_." His little sister pipped up.

"Mariah, we have to go now. I'll see you in school tomorrow. I love you." He lifted her chin up and kissed her deeply before taking off. "I love you too." she whispered as he ran. "You had better go." she said to the younger girl.

"Right. Bye Mariah." She gave the older girl a quick hug before running around the corner and down the set of steps that met her. At the bottom she tripped and went sprawling flat on her face.

Their mother beeped the car horn at her. "Get your ass up Zandrina! We have a schedule to stick to! We still have to go and get Nicholi!" Zandrina's eyes were red and puffy from trying to hold tears back, but she failed the battle and tears flowed like a waterfall from her eyes.

"What about Kitahren?" she heard Michigan ask as she picked herself and her books up.

"What about her?" their mother snapped. We have to get her too!"

"Damn it! Her school is mere miles from the house! She can walk!"

"Mother, she will get snapped up by the police, it takes her a while to walk that far. We have to go get her." His mother's face visibly paled.

"COME ON ZANDRINA! GET YOUR ASS IN THIS CAR DAMN IT!" She screamed out the window. To her eldest son she added, "You are right I guess, come on, let's go."

Zandrina scrambled and dove for the open van door. "S-sorry!" she squeaked out in fear.

To herself, their mother muttered about losing the things she had so preciously stolen. 'The precious things I have stolen.' she repeated over and over in her head. 'Must not get taken back. They are mine!'

* * *

**And there you have it! The mystery girl is Zandrina, the dragon slayer mage! But you guys guessed that, right? And what do you think about the 'precious things I have stolen' bit? Hehe! Wellp I'm off to go make Gray and Juvia quit procrastinating and finally go to work. :D I hope you enjoyed this chapter, as abusive as it is, I still say it was neessasary. You guys will understand later, as always **review** please! ~Ivy Heart~**


	8. Chapter 7

**Hey guys! Here is the chapter of Juvia and Gray's introduction to the she-witch of a Principal. I am still trying to decide what her mage powers should be. I don't know, something powerful, but not _too_ powerful, you know what I mean? Oh and she can't be a dragon slayer mage. I would like it if you guys gave me an idea as to what she would have for powers. Oh and later on you might see a little someone :D let me just say that I cant wait to include some more of the Fairy Tail gang and not just my OCs. Oh and I am thinking of letting you guys make OCs of your own for some of the students in Juvia and Gray's classes! You can even make teachers too if you want! I'll post a format for you guys to follow if you want to help out. Thank you! Enjoy the story, and as always R&amp;R! ~Ivy Heart~**

Juvia coughed, hesitated, then knocked. With a glance over to where Gray was glumly sitting in an old beat up chair in the waiting room she realized that _this_ was the moment she had been waiting for.

With a wink at Gray, who had just noticed her glancing over she took a deep breath and turned to knock again. Before she had a chance to even move a molecule she heard the sound of the principal's office door opening and the sound of a stern female voice.

"What?! Who in blazes are you? Are you a tax collector? We already told you that we won't be making the ice sculptures this year and we sent the damn ice back!"

Juvia took a step back. "Uh.." She was at a loss for words. This principal was a major _bitch_!

Gray coughed lightly. That snapped her out of her trance.

"I am Juvia Loxar. You sent me a letter saying that I was to work here. I am _no_ mere tax collector! I think it is wrong for you to just spout out about something random to a total stranger! What if I had been your boss?!" Juvia shook her head in dismay while the principal seemed shocked.

Her gold eyes were wide, her pink lipped mouth hung open a fraction and her grip on the doorknob loosened a bit.

"I am so sorry Miss Loxar! I had no intention of offending, it is just that you look like you are pure businesswoman. Please, come in and we will talk about your employment. I understand that there are certain terms to come to deal with." She swept her arm in a wide arc to show Juvia that she was to go inside the small office.

She took a deep breath and stepped into the earth toned office. She took a seat on the green leather chair that sat in front of the mahogany desk. A little gold plaque sat on the desk and on it read, 'Leila Meowlind'.

"So, Miss Loxar, you have a few _terms_ I see. Tell me about those please." Mrs. Meowlind spoke with her lips puckered like she had bit into a lemon and an arched brow, her brown hair was pulled tightly against her head in a bun at the nape of her neck and it made her look like a fierce she-devil. She said the word 'terms' as if it were a foul word that she would rather not say.

"Yes, as you may or may not know I am Juvia, the new Aquarius. I do have an 'owner' persay. I am a normal citizen, but I also double as a celestial spirit. Have you heard of Loke?"

Mrs. Meowlind nodded. "Well, his real name is Leo. He is a real celestial spirit. He doubles as a member of Fairy Tail guild. Anyway, I do have to say that I _might_ be called away by the child, for I am not yet strong enough to resist the pull of the key. I will work on it though. I did tell her that I have a day job, and that she may not call me in the weekdays, early in the morning, nor late evening on sundays. I can recharge easily with my connection to the celestial spirit plane, and many of the other celestial spirits would help me out, like Leo for example." Juvia shrugged.

"Okay, and what, would you say, is the reason for your agreeing to both the job here and becoming the new Aquarius?" Mrs. Meowlind inquired.

"Well I would have to say that because I knew that there are contracts for the spirits I knew that I could make a contract with whomever found or bought my key. This job at Fairy Tail Academy is so important to me. I could not believe that i got the job. I know that this is like an interview but I think that I should be honest with you about everything. I am nervous, but I still say that it is not that big of a deal."

"Okay and how would you say that being Aquarius would affect your job performance here?"

"Well, I do tend to be called out but that has been taken care of. As for my power over water, it was already magnified to its full power when I underwent the painful magnifying magic, but when I became Aquarius I think it became stronger."

Mrs Meowlind nodded again. "Alright Juvia. Welcome to Fairy Tail Academy." She handed Juvia a map, a key card and a room key.

"Thank you." Juvia stood and moved out of the room.

"Please send the young man into the room." She told Juvia.

"Okay." She stepped over to her crush and smiled. "I got the job!" She whispered the next bit to him as he gave her a hug. "She is too.. flashy.. be careful Gray-Sama." She kissed him quickly and pulled away, walking to her indoor office.

He stood there for a minute, dazed, touching his lips and smiling like an idiot before Mrs Meowlind called out of her office, "Next!"


	9. Chapter 8

It was a few weeks later and Juvia was only just getting to know her students. A female student raised her hand.

"Yes, uh.. Emilia Brienhart?" The girl shook her head.

"That's not me, Miss Loxar. I'm Zanda."

"Oh, sorry Zanda. What did you need?" The younger girl had pinkish hair and a preppy appearance.

"I just need to know what tomorrow's assignment will be, Ma'am." She spoke politely, but a spark of mischief was flaring in her eyes. Juvia looked at her, a knowing flash appearing in her own eyes.

"And why would you like to know that, Miss. Zanda?"

"I might be away with my family due to a funeral, Ma'am." The child's voice was like honey, and Juvia knew it to be a lie when her hand slipped behind her back. Let the child cheat on something that wasn't even an assignment.

"We may or may not be working with substance magic. Taking the object of our power and putting it into a form." Juvia decided to fib a little bit on her own. If the child wanted to lie, there were going to be consequences. Zanda's eyes went wide.

"B-but, we aren't supposed to study that for another week!" Juvia's sly smile gave nothing away.

"Yes, but I thought you were all advanced enough… if not, I could always give a pop quiz tomorrow, instead…" Zanda's reaction was to run back to her desk and flip open to substance magic. Priceless.

Meanwhile, over in Gray's classroom, he was having no issue with his students, and several of the females were fawning over him. '_Love rivals'... _Gray's thoughts were drifting back to he and Juvia's shared past, and a soft chuckle escaped the ice-wizard's lips. Giggling and dreamy sighing could be heard from a few of the female students in the room.

"Isn't he just perfect?" The green-haired girl in the front row whispered to her violet-haired friend.

"Totally! If we were allowed dating the teachers… Mm!"

"It's too bad that we can't… Blog about how cute he is instead!" In turn, both girls pulled out a touchscreen and began tapping away at the phones.

Juvia and Gray sat in the teachers' lounge and were scrolling through the 'Teacher Rates' section of the 'Student Opinions' blog. Juvia got an eight out of twelve, and Gray got a twenty four out of twelve.

"They really like you, Gray," Juvia mused with a soft smile.

"Mhm… You should hear them chatter on in the middle of lessons. I have to take their phones in order for them to stop blogging about it.." Gray gave a sheepish shrug and slouched in his chair a bit. With a shake of her head, Juvia stood and hugged the Ice-Wizard. All too soon, she felt the familiar pull of the Aquarius key and she heard Gray murmur,

"Good thing it's the end of the school day… See you at home, Juvia.", and she vanished yet again.

* * *

**Hey guys, long time no see! I'm really, really, REALLY sorry for the looooooooooooonnnnggggg wait! Here is another update, and I'll try to get more in soon, remember, please shoot me an IM or review and tell me what you think of it! (Or if you have any suggestions [Or OCs{For which the creator will get full credit for, please remember not to plagiarize!}] for me!) Again, super sorry for such a long wait, but the next chapter is going to have some fighting action in it, so I hope you'll stick with it, and thanks to all of you who have stuck with me during this process so far. Newcomers are always welcome. Stay fierce! ~Xx Ivy Heart**


	10. Author's Note: Please Read!

Hey, you guys! I'm soooooooooooooooooooo sorry that I've been gone for so long! I just wanted to tell you that I moved to Wattpad, and though these stories are not on there just yet, I'm working on it. If you guys want, you can check out my stories on there. I prefer Wattpad due to the fact that it is more formal and it allows you to post original stories as well as fanfictions. Here, it's just fanfics. I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but I will no longer be posting on here. I encourage you all to get a Wattpad account! 3 Much love, Icyheart21.


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